Philanthropy Manager

Worthy causes. Ambitious minds. Positive pursuits.  

Directorate: Strategy & Philanthropy

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office) there will also be travel in/around London once a week.

Closing date: 05 July 2024 23:55

This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact  as soon as possible.

Recruitment process: Telephone screening + F2F interview.

Please note: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

Do you like getting to know people? Can you listen and connect, interpret motivations and inspire positive reactions? Are you looking for a role where your relationship-building moves us one step closer to a world free from the fear of cancer? Cancer Research UK are looking for an ambitious and proactive Philanthropy Manager to join our Leadership Giving team. In this role you will inspire a portfolio of current and prospective major donors to make donations of £10,000 - £100,000+. Our sector leading Philanthropy team raised c£40million last year and we have high ambitions and a clear strategy to grow. Following the launch of our ' campaign in February 2024, more than ever we are keen to expand our networks, cultivate, ask and steward philanthropic individuals. Our goal is to connect and collaborate, offering opportunities to support our life saving research in a meaningful and impactful way, such as supporting a PhD student through their programme.

You could play a key role in taking supporters on that journey, and make them feel brilliant about supporting Cancer Research UK.

What will I be doing?

• Develop strategic, two-way, face to face relationships with new and existing supporters to build the portfolio of donors making philanthropic gifts of £10k - £100k+ 

• Utilise our More Research, Less Cancer campaign collateral and engagement programme, combined with your creativity and interpersonal skills, to cultivate, ask and steward philanthropic individuals.

• Invite and host donors at appropriate high value and philanthropy events; often working with the events team to create tailored events or group engagement opportunities. 

• Present CRUK's work to donors in a format that is appropriate for their motivations, scientific literacy and gift capacity; develop a strong working knowledge of the campaign priorities and scientific work of CRUK and engage expert colleagues in the journey to help inspire support where beneficial. 

• Maximise potential support from each donor, for example as a senior volunteer; accessing their networks, expertise, or considering other avenues of support e.g. a gift in their Will 

• Contribute to the on-going implementation of the Leadership Giving level strategy to grow income from gifts between £10k-£1m; take up tasks and projects as needed, spot opportunities and connect with internal stakeholders across Philanthropy and beyond to drive success.  

• Ensure donor activity, KPI and financial information is accurate and up to date on the database, to aid monthly performance monitoring and forecasting.  

What are you looking for?

You don't have to have experience in philanthropy or the not-for-profit sector. Cancer affects us all, and we are keen to have representation and insight from a range of different backgrounds. However, you will need to demonstrate:

• Proven experience of delivering income through securing new business in a commercial sales environment, including having met or exceeded KPIs and financial targets over a sustained period. 

• Proven experience of building effective long-term relationships with individual stakeholders to deliver planned goals and income 

• Excellent stakeholder management skills; the ability to communicate effectively and work professionally with a wide range of individuals including internal colleagues, institutional leaders, scientists and donors. 

• Tenacious and self-motivated approach to work and performance; target driven. 

• Exceptional listening skills and efficient written and oral communication skills; an inspiring and engaging communication style. 

• The intellectual curiosity to understand and communicate complex areas of scientific research. 

• Motivated and excited by the science and opportunity to be part of CRUK's Philanthropy team and the More Research, Less Cancer campaign.  

• Experience within major gift fundraising would be beneficial but is not essential for this role.

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do:

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination  

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism   

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people  

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We're looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer. If you're interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience, we'd still love to hear from you.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our .

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively.